2005 C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan - Manual vs Auto Driver Impressions

[Mason00]

Thinking of purchasing either the 6 speed manual or the automatic later in the year. Just wanted some opinions of drivers of both versions of the car. I won't be test driving to later in the year when I'm closer to purchasing. If the 1st half of the year goes well, I'll just skip those models and go for the C55, but that's a stretch. Let me know current drivers, how's the auto and how's the 6speed manual. Thanks, Happy New Year to all.

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[Nuvolari]

Do a search. This topic has been beaten to death many times before with very long threads.

[BabyBenz6spd]

I have a 05 6spd, gear shift is tight and crisp. It has a short throw motion. My only complaint would probably be the clutch pedal. I wish it was shorter, like my friend's Subaru.

My personal opinion, I choose 6spd on this car because this car does not have great amount of torque (Its only 1.8L!!), and before the engine reach the 3000RPM zone.....this car has no power. This is where stick shift comes in.
Auto would probably give you more "Mercedes feel", but its definilty not going to be as fun.

[Battery!]

I have a manual C230 sedan on order. This tranny really makes the car more fun, and the shifter has an excellent feel. My family also has a C320 coupe, and bought that because they wanted an auto, and the V6 is better suited for that. However, in the sedan, the V6 prob isn't worth the premium. Get the manual - save money and have more fun.

[Outland]

The Stick is more fun, and as others have noted, somewhat needed because boost comes on later in the M271 than the older torquey M111. Get the stick if you want to have fun, get the auto if you hate to drive and are only worried about resale.

[mick1]

not only is it more fun, it is $1,390 cheaper

[wblynch]

With Toronto's infamous winter (and construction) traffic, the automatic would win my vote.

My brother has the automatic, my best friend has the stick. I've driven both and both are plenty quick and very fun to drive.

[6speedC230SS]

I love my six speed in my opinion the auto doesnt feel like it has any power

[Mason00]

That is my main concern, just the acceleration and overall power. I know the car has 189hp but is the auto that much slower than the manual in terms of accerlation and overall power? I'd much rather just get the auto but who knows. Does anyone do quick mods to their kompressor to increase the horsepower above the 189? If so what, and how much of an increase. Regardless of any incremental increase say 189 to 195 or 200hp, it still will get left in the dust by many other 6 cylinder vehicles so that is not the problem. People keep saying the auto is so slow. I can't figure it is that much slower than the 6 speed. Fill me in current drivers. Thanks

[SaRiDi]

With the downtown traffic here in Toronto, I would say Auto is better. But the reason I picked a 6spd because it is more fun to drive, plus I always fall asleep while driving any automatic trans. vehicle in traffic jam.

Many ppl say 6 spd is faster. Yes, the engine rev feels lighter, but as you've seen in MB webpage, it's only 0.2sec diff. on 0-100km/h. The main reason is you have to shift to 3rd gear and almost hit redline to get 100km/h on manual trans, which mean unless you are a real quick shifter and willing to abuse your clutch, then man. trans is quicker.

Regarding to performance upgrade. So far the ECU and pulley upgrade is your best bet, which will get your C230 to about 220hp range

[Outland]

MB's figures are BS. THe auto is nearly a second off the pace of the stick to sixty.

[GuyUSC350]

The Kompressor Sports Sedan I test drove had plenty of pick up. It never felt like it was lagging at all. It was an automatic, and was a lot of fun to drive. I've never been able to drive a stick, so I wouldn't know what that was like, but the auto is plenty fun to drive, and I'm sure the autostick feature is fun to play with. Go with the auto. It's an MB for cryin out loud. Do you really want a stick in an MB? Just doesn't sound like it goes right. Just my opinion. Don't bash it.

[Battery!]

Originally Posted by GuyUSC350

Go with the auto. It's an MB for cryin out loud. Do you really want a stick in an MB? Just doesn't sound like it goes right.

If it didn't belong in the car, they wouldn't have improved the transmission for '05 to be this good. The auto car with the 4-banger just doesn't do it from a performance perspective - you should get the manual to take full advantage of the torque band over 3k rpms. Afterall, it is a sport sedan, not a C240.

Of course, if you're asking this question after having driven one, get the auto because you'll have a lot of shifting to do, and nobody wants the manual car used, unless it's at least a few years old.

[Mason00]

I like all these arguments here with the Man and Auto. I do live in Toronto and the winters are nuts. We are in the middle of a storm right now. Performance wise, there really isn't much you can do versus all the V6s out there anyway so Auto on the 189hp sedan should be ok with me but I will test drive both when the time comes to see how each one feels. Increasing the hp to roughly 210 or 220 hp with mods would satisfy me and I like the idea of the automatic still giving you the ability to touch shift. The c240 and c320 sedans really don't do me any justice. The c320 is really not worth the extra money for me just to have a V6 and some extra horses. For me, the c230 SS or the C55 would be the only ones in the class I would buy, and of course the C55 is out of my current price range.

Anyone with the auto c230 SS, how is the touch shift?

[SaRiDi]

Yes, test drive both before you made up your mind. But it's so hard to find a manual C230SS to test drive in GTA. All of the dealer demos are Auto.....

[mick1]

Originally Posted by GuyUSC350

Do you really want a stick in an MB?

sure. if it was not for the stick i would have bought an E-class instead.

[Mason00]

Quoting Sardi:
Regarding to performance upgrade. So far the ECU and pulley upgrade is your best bet, which will get your C230 to about 220hp range

Question: How much will that cost roughly to do the ECU and Pulley upgrade to increase the horsepower of the C230 SS from 189hp to roughly 220hp??

CAD or US Figures will do. Thanks

[Mason00]

Also, can anyone verify what color this is? I would like to get this color when I purchase the C230 SS. I beleive it is Orion Blue Metallic but I would like some concrete confirmation. Thanks.

[akbro93704]

Originally Posted by Mason00

Also, can anyone verify what color this is? I would like to get this color when I purchase the C230 SS. I beleive it is Orion Blue Metallic but I would like some concrete confirmation. Thanks.

That picture looks like all three of the blue's mixed up(capri,orion,midnight). Some of the car is light, some is dark, it's kind of a screwed up picture. Here's some other examples of these three colors. Orion blue is the lightest blue color(click here), capri blue is darkest with some dark purple in sunlight(click here) and midnight blue is in between the two(click here)

[Mason00]

After seeing your links I'd have to say the color is ORION BLUE METALLIC. The picture is of a 2005 model. Since it is a 'show' wallpaper type picture, the lighting reflections in the tunnel, along with the dark tint on the glass probably make the color like a little different, but it is more than likely ORION BLUE METALLIC. It is nowhere near CAPRI BLUE METALLIC and MIDNIGHT BLUE is a non metallic paint and would not give off such a beautiful shine and reflection.

If ANYONE can confirm the color, it would be wonderful. Thanks again. I have attached a better color version of the car. This one should allow viewers to clearly tell me if this is ORION BLUE METALLIC or not. The original picture is available on the Mercedes Benz International website under the CLK coupe gallery.

Thanks again

[1Lop2K5C]

Here is my $.02, if you want performance from 0-60, for 35K avg you can get other sedan out there that will smoke a C230K (look at the lux japanese models). For those that are used to stick, thats what a C230K 6sp are for. For those who want the "look" and a zippy car around town, then i think the auto would do nicely. The car is not that slow for what it is, I have test drove a 325i stick and auto as well as an Audi 1.8T stick and auto before my purchase and if you think the C230K auto is sad, test drive an Audi 1.8T quattro auto, now thats a slow car. Plus you gotta slow down to " 2 miles an hour, so everybody can see you" (will smith)

[GDawgC220]

Originally Posted by 1Lop2K5C

Here is my $.02, if you want performance from 0-60, for 35K avg you can get other sedan out there that will smoke a C230K (look at the lux japanese models). For those that are used to stick, thats what a C230K 6sp are for. For those who want the "look" and a zippy car around town, then i think the auto would do nicely. The car is not that slow for what it is, I have test drove a 325i stick and auto as well as an Audi 1.8T stick and auto before my purchase and if you think the C230K auto is sad, test drive an Audi 1.8T quattro auto, now thats a slow car. Plus you gotta slow down to " 2 miles an hour, so everybody can see you" (will smith)

yep, unfortunately, the 1.8T AUTO is slow! That's why I got the 1.8T 6-speed for the pep If you compare a 1.8T Auto and a C230k Auto back to back, you'll find the C230k Auto plenty quick

[GuyUSC350]

I think that it is orion blue. And I saw a kompressor sedan with that color exterior in the show room when i went and test drove. It is a VERY good looking car. Definitely a great color. If you choose it, good choice.

[Outland]

Oh look, someone posted a picture of how a C-Coupe looks with a trunk! Another 20K for a trunk! And they make you get the automatic too!??? Bleck!

If youre going with the supercharged 1.8, get the stick. The auto saps some life out of this engine, and autostick is kinda silly IMHO. The tranny still does pretty much what it wants anyway.

[Mason00]

Outland: Just in case you were not joking about the picture being a C Coupe with a trunk, it is a 2005 CLK 320 in Orion Blue Metallic, posted solely for paint color confirmation. If there was a picture of the 2005 C230 SS in orion blue metallic I would have posted that